Flat roofed buildings, roadways, catwalks, attics, skylights, and other similar structures, commonly include access ports, such as a roof portal, manhole, or other similar structure, with or without a hatch or lid, for ingress and egress to a roof, roadway, catwalk, elevated deck, etc. Many times, these access ports are located in elevated positions away from walls or other supporting structures, thereby, necessitating the user to make steep climbs over high elevations for ingress and egress. With high elevations and steep climbs the risk of harm to a user from a fall is already great; however, when factoring in a user's fear of heights, vertigo, or other emotional and/or physiological responses, the risk of harm to the user from falling through an access port greatly increases. Moreover, additional factors, such as transporting equipment through access ports, may further increase the risk of harm to the user.
While it is of the most importance for personnel to egress and ingress through an access port in a safe manner it is also important for building owners and proprietors to reduce loss and liability. The act of climbing to or from an elevated height to manually operate and pass through an access port, such as a roof scuttle hatch, floor opening, elevated deck or skylight, is a very dangerous undertaking. Numerous hazards can cause an employee to trip, slip, or fall. In fact, records with U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) statistically show that occupational accidents often result in death. Occupational fatalities caused by falls remain a serious public health problem throughout the United State.
A significant safety issue facing personnel having a need to ingress or egress through an access port, which usually requires a climb to or from an unsafe height above a floor or deck, the location of which is most often in a darkened and out of the way location within a building, is low or dim lighting. The low light results in impaired vision or temporary blinding upon sudden exposure to bright light making if difficult to locate and secure solid footing or hand grab holds while ascending or descending.
Additionally, personnel ascending or descending a ladder to egress or ingress through an access port often must hang precariously onto a rail of the ladder with one hand while using the other hand to reach back, usually at an awkward and dangerous angle, to unlock or lock and open or close the hatch covering the access port. This precarious procedure for unlocking or locking and opening or closing the hatch is further complicated with danger and safety concerns by the fact that many hatches are bulky and heavy, may have worn out spring assisted hinges, and can swing open and close violently under their own weight or in conjunction with high winds.
Moreover, personnel ingressing or egressing through an access port may have to precariously perch on the top rung of a ladder with the only hand hold or grab hold being the top of a scuttle hatch curb, which is often one foot or more above the top rung of the ladder, in order to exit or enter the hatch, which is a difficult and dangerous balancing act, especially at dangerously high elevations.
Furthermore, additional safety concerns and dangers associated with access portals include security concerns, which typically occur from break-ins and vandals, safety of people and property located under a roof or other surface with an access portal, and weather concerns, including heavy rains, extreme temperatures, high water dangers on flat roofs, freezing ice or snow, high winds, and lightning, which can affect the safety and work environment of personnel ingressing or egressing through an access portal.